Silent Symphony
by Starburst
Summary: A Sirius/Hermoine fic. Hermoine's visiting Harry over winter break, but guess who he's living with now? ^_~ R&R, remember that this is just the first chapter.
1. Once upon a winter break

sh A/N: Here I go...okay, I got this weird idea last night, and so I decided that the only way to get it out was to write a story. _Very _weird pairing. I think it's only been done once before. *Shrug* hey, I was bored. And I couldn't sleep. But anyways, enjoy. 

Warnings: Like I said, this is a weird pairing. S/Hr (If you don't know who that is, rest assured you will soon find out. ^_~) 

P.S. This takes place when Hermoine's 19 and working at the Ministry. Harry is living with Sirius, who just had his name cleared. Harry is playing Quidditch for England. Sirius is teaching DADA at Hogwarts. Just thought I'd get that over with so you now what's going on with everyone. =) 

P.S.S. (Last one, I promise!): R&R si vous plait!!! *big puppy eyes* I'll love you forever! 

~*~   
Silent Symphony   
by Starburst   
~*~   


Snow fell silently outside Hermoine's office, and she watched it with a dreamy expression as it fell past her window. Christmas was drawing near, and she was officially on break. Her mind was wondering over many things, but one of them was what to actually _do_ on her vacation. 

"'Moine?" 

She turned arubtly, no longer lost in her thoughts. Her secretary, Renné, was standing in the doorway, cloak draped around her shoulders like she was getting ready to leave. She eyed Hermoine, puzzled. 

"You know that you're on vacation, right?" Renné said, looking around the office. "You have been for a couple hours now." 

"I know," Hermoine said with a wave of her hand. "I'm just...thinking." 

Renné smiled slightly. "Well, okay. But you're responsible of locking up when you're done. All right?" 

"Yes," Hermoine said, staring out the window again. She heard the door shut and click, and knew that Renné had left. She sighed and turned to her desk, shuffling a bunch of papers in order. She stopped when she heard a soft tapping at the window. She was taken aback when she saw a snowy white owl outside her window, blending quite well with the falling snow around her, tapping the glass with her beak. 

"Hedwig!" Hermoine cried in surprise. It had been a good two years since she had last seen the owl; it was surely unexpected. She crossed the room and let the owl in. A letter was tied around her leg, and she immediately seized it, forgetting it was tied on and tried to yank it away. Hedwig gave a shrill hoot and tried to nip her. The rope snapped, and as soon as Hermoine had the letter in her hands, Hedwig ruffled her feathers and leaped out the window, soaring back into the night. 

She watched Hedwig departure until she was out of sight, then turned back to the letter in her hands. She opened it carefully, lips moving as she read. 

_Hermoine -_

_ Long time no talk! Heard you're going to be on vacation this week, why don't you come stay with us? I really want to catch up on what's been going on at the Ministry. Sirius wants to see you again, too. Send a response as soon as you can._

_Harry_   


She smiled slightly, running her fingers over the name. It had been two years since she had last spoken to him; since their graduation at Hogwarts. 

Suddenly, she had an idea. She wouldn't write him back, she wanted to surprise him. Shoving the letter in her coat pocket, she smiled again and apparated.   


Instantly, she was standing infront of a two-story flat. It was nice, it looked exactly the same as when she and Ron last visited in the summer before their 7th year, when Sirius's name was cleared. She remembered that summer and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips, although she was suddenly filled with a familiar sadness. 

That was the very last summer Ron was alive. Shortly before their graduation, Voldemort had attacked Hogwarts unexpectedly. She remembered every detail clearly, so many people had died that day. Ron was among the many. 

It was, with no surprise, Harry that finally defeated Voldemort. There was a huge celebration that day, and if it were even possible, he had become even more famous. 

She walked up the steps and tried her best to rid herself of the bitter pang in her heart. Taking a deep breath, she knocked three times on the door. 

"I'll get it!" She heard a voice from the other side yell. She recognized it in about a half a second. She heard the sound of footsteps before the door swinging open, and Harry gaped at her in shock. 

"Surprise!" Hermoine said, grinning. She took a few steps forward and reached out to pull Harry in a huge, welcoming hug. "I got your letter just a few minutes ago, so I thought I'd stop by." 

"Well, all right then!" Harry said, finally pulling away. "Come in, I'm sure Sirius wants to see you again, as well." 

She followed Harry through the door and down a long hallway. She shifted her bag up her shoulder and continued walking until the living room came into view. It was comfortable, with a couch and armchair; and complete with a roaring fire. Hermoine looked around with a certain amount of satisfaction. In the corner of her eyes, however, she finally realized that someone else was sitting in the armchair. She turned her head and smiled. 

Sirius was seated in the armchair, leaning slightly over the coffee table and reading the Daily Prophet. When he heard footsteps, he looked up at Harry and Hermoine and stood up, setting his newspaper down. 

"Hermoine?" He asked curiously, almost as if making sure it was really her. She nodded, and he flashed her a smile. _He looks a lot younger when he's smiling,_ Hermoine thought, walking over to hug him. 

"Well, as long as you're here, I might as well show you where you'll be staying?" Sirius said when they broke apart. Hermoine nodded, picking up her bag and smiling. "Lead the way, Snuffles." 

Harry gave a choking cough, which sounded strongly like a snigger. Sirius shot him a look and waved his hand, indicating her to follow. He lead her down a different hallway and up a flight of stairs. Hermoine was not really paying attention ahead of her, but she kept looking up at the walls at the paintings, some, of course, were moving, but it surprised Hermoine greatly when she saw some famous Muggle paintings, as well. 

"You like art?" Hermoine asked, not really realizing she was doing so. Sirius turned around and nodded. "Yeah, I do." 

Silence followed those words for awhile, before Sirius stopped arubtly infront of a door. Hermoine still wasn't paying attention, and bumped into him after he stopped. 

"Woah - I'm sorry!" Hermoine said, laughing. "I guess I'm just not paying that much attention today, that's all." 

Sirius grinned, which caused Hermoine's stomach to flutter. _Stop it, you git!_

"No problem, I seriously can't blame you," Sirius said, then opened the door and swept his hand out for her to enter first. She walked in and dropped her bag. The room was perfectly clean, a large bed in one corner with a trunk at the foot of it. A large window was to the right of the bed, currently closed behind rose pink curtains. There was a dresser at the other end and to top it all off, a walk-in closet. 

"It's beautiful!" Hermoine murmured, setting her bag down on the trunk and roaming around. 

"I'm glad you like it," Sirius said, looking around. "This room is hardly ever used; only if we have a girl visiting or whatnot." 

Hermoine snorted. "Oh, so you and Harry have a lot of girls come over, hmm?" 

Sirius blushed. "Not like _that._ Like if Ginny comes over, she use to come over quite often before she became an Auror." He sighed. "She's way too busy, we keep trying to get her to teak a break but she starts getting really snappy. She'll end up like Moody if she's not careful." 

Hermoine murmured in agreement. She was looking over a piece of china on the dresser. 

"That was my mother's," Sirius said softly. Hermoine was so surprised that she nearly dropped it with an, "oh!", But she quickly caught her balance and set it down again. "I didn't know," She said quietly. 

Sirius gave a tiny smile. "Don't worry about it. Just try not to break it, okay?" 

She nodded, and he smiled again. "Good," He said. "Now let's go back, I don't trust Harry with making dinner all by himself." 

She snorted. "I'll tell him you said that." 

He gave her a look of mock horror. "You would never!" 

She laughed. "Come on, personally I agree with you."   


~*~   


It was later that evening. Hermoine was curled up on the couch, reading a thick Muggle novel infront of the fire. Sirius was in the armchair, reading an old issue of the Daily Prophet. The room was silent, no noise whatsoever except for the popping and crackling of the fire. Harry was outside, practicing Quidditch. Hermoine flipped the page and continued reading. Curiously, she lifted her eyes over the top of the book to peer over at Sirius. He was reading, his brow furrowed together as if in concentration, and his lips moved silently as he read. She noticed that his face was no longer sunken in, and instead of the long tangle of hair, it was cut short and cleaned. She smiled softly. 

_He sure doesn't look like he's turning 40, _Hermoine thought. _Come to think of it, he can pass for looking 30._

*Still a little out of your range, don't you think?* said a tiny voice at the back of her head. *Too bad he wasn't younger, you like him, don't you?* 

_What!? I do not!_

*Liar.* 

_I don't. This is **Sirius**, for heaven's sake._

*So? You still think he's cute.* 

_I don't know about others, but I'm not exactly attracted to people 20 years older then I am._

_*_21 to be exact.* 

_Shut up._

*Go kiss him.* 

**_WHAT?!_**

*Do it. Let's see what his reaction would be.* 

_That's sick. The man is old enough to be my father._

*Your point being...?* 

_I hate you._

"Hermoine?" Sirius asked, voice sounding puzzled. "Are you all right? You're turning red and you're breathing...funny. Is it too hot in here?" 

*Yeah, in more ways then one.* _Oh god, you did **not** just think that._

"I'm fine," She said, sighing. "I just...nevermind." 

Sirius frowned. "What is it?" 

"It's no big deal," She mumbled, leaning back into the sofa. Sirius looked concerned. He got up from the armchair, walked across the room and sat down next to Hermoine. The heat started rising in her face. _*Stop* it, you prat._

"Tell me." He said sternly yet softly. Hermoine sighed, breaking eye contact and looking down at her hands. "I was thinking about...Ron." 

*liar!* 

_Well, I am now._

The corner's of Sirius's mouth twitched, almost if he was going to say something but thought better of it. Hermoine fiddled with her thumbs, feeling her vision go blurry. "I feel so lost. I never expected him to die." Her eyes widened suddenly and she wiped her eyes, as if just realizing what she was doing. "Jeez, look at me. Two years later and I'm still mourning over him." 

"Don't feel bad," Sirius said quickly. "It's been almost 20 years, and I sometimes still can't believe Lily and James are gone." He gave a small smile. "It comes as a real shock, doesn't it? Sometimes I wake up still and can't believe they're dead. I'm assuming it must be the same for you about Ron." 

"Yes," She admitted. "It's hard. I've known him for 7 years, he was one of my very best friends. He was like the brother I never had." She noticed that her voice was wavering and her vision was starting to go blurry, but she didn't care. "It's very hard, you know? Sure, we fought over a lot of things, and we didn't have a whole lot in common, but I still loved him very much." A tear fell down her cheek, then another. She felt a hand come up and brush the tears away gently. "It's because of him I'm alive. He saved me that day You-Know-Who attacked. And he took his life..." 

She choked, and her mind snapped. She fell forward, sobbing into Sirius's robes. He looked somewhere between taken back and shocked. Very slowly, he brought his arms up and rested them on her back, letting her cry. A warm feeling was spreading through her stomach and she felt her neck and face burning. 

*You could probably fry an egg on your face now.* 

_Do I have to spell it out? S-H-U-T U-P._

But it was true. She felt her face tingle, and she wouldn't be surprised if there was steam coming out her ears. She felt surprisingly comfortable, and realized she had her arms wrapped around his neck. Their faces were only inches apart, if that. 

_What. Are. You. *Doing*!?_

She snapped into her senses and pulled away quickly. Her face was flushed. Sirius blinked, giving her a puzzled look. "'Moine? Are you all right?" 

"I'm fine!" She answered, maybe a little too quickly. "I just realized that...I...have to take a shower, that's all." Praying she'd believe him, she looked at him and bit her lip. He shrugged and nodded. 

"All right. Goodnight, 'Moine." 

She smiled slightly before lifting off the couch and trudging down the hallway. 

*You're an idiot. You could've kissed him right there, he was barely two inches away.* 

_It's **wrong.**_

*What is? The fact that you're in love? If you asked me, I'd say he likes you, too.* 

_What the hell gives you that idea?_

*You saw the way he was looking at you, right? That was defiantly love. Or at least lust.* 

_Gee, thanks._

Hermoine was so busy fighting with herself that she hardly realized that she had walked into the bathroom, stripped down and stepped into the shower. It was only when the steaming water splashed against her face and down her shoulders that she let her mind dissolve and focus on nothing at all.   


~*~   


Hermoine woke up the next morning, the light of day streaming through the window and casting shadows across her room. She blinked a few times, letting the bedroom swim into focus. She stifled a yawn before swinging her legs around the side of the bed and standing. She didn't even bother to get dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast. 

As soon as she was at the foot of the stairs, the sweet smell of cinnamon filled her nose, and she inhaled deeply. A coy smile played at her lips as entered the kitchen and took a seat at the small table. 

"Morning, 'Moine." 

Hermoine jumped, looking around the kitchen quickly and spotting Sirius by the stove, arms crossed across his chest and wearing an impish grin. "Get good sleep?" 

"You bet," Hermoine said, returning the grin. "Making breakfast, I see. Well, I don't know if I want to be the first to try it..." 

Hermoine laughed as she dodged a spatula. "I was just kidding," She said when she regained her balance. "I'm so hungry I could eat this table." 

"Well, please don't, it was very expensive and I'm too lazy to set out and get a new one today." 

Hermoine snorted in her orange juice. _He can be so childish at times, but almost in a good way..._

*Just the way you like them, eh?* 

_God, not you again...!_

"Where's Harry?" Hermoine blurted out. Sirius turned and gave her a sidelong look. "He's still sleeping. Didn't come back in until almost 4 o'clock in the morning." He scooped some scrambled eggs and toast onto a plate, and shoved them to Hermoine's direction. "Been working himself to the limit lately. He's really determined to get England to the Quidditch World Cup." 

"...and I'm sure he'll have no trouble doing so." Hermoine smiled and bit into her toast. "England's been doing a hell of a lot better since Harry joined their team." 

Sirius grinned. "True." 

He helped himself to a piece of toast and sat down across from Hermoine. Both were silent until Hermoine finished her breakfast and stood up to put the dishes away. 

"'Moine?" 

"Hmm?" She turned her head around as she washed the dishes off, letting the warm water run across her hands. 

"I need to run a few errands in Diagon Alley today, I'm planning on getting Harry a Firebolt 2002 for Christmas. I was wondering...if you'd like to come along with? We can stop for coffee in the Leaky Cauldron." 

*Ooh! He's asking you out!* 

_Is not!_

*Is too!* 

_Is NOT!_

*Just shut up and say yes, okay?* 

"Sure!" Hermoine said quickly, sounding a little overenthusiastic. "I mean...well, I have nothing better to do, anyways. Plus I can really go for some coffee right about now." 

Sirius smiled, making his tired face appear younger. "Great. After I get breakfast, okay?" 

"Yeah, although I'm not sure you want to eat it anymore, it being on fire and all." 

His eyes widened and he snapped his head around, sure enough the eggs were smoking and a thick blanket of fog was starting to waft it's way around the kitchen. Thinking quickly, he took the pan and threw it into the sink, which was still filled with soapy water. He coughed and reached over to open a window. 

Hermoine had her best smug look on. "It's no big deal, Snuffles, not everyone gets it on their first try. Better luck next time, okay? But keep in mind that next time you should probably make breakfast by magic." 

Sirius shot her a dry look. "Ha ha ha. _Really _now."   


~*~   


"I really need to get out of the house more often," Hermoine said, taking a huge gulp of coffee and sighing. She and Sirius were at an outside table at the Leaky Cauldron, enjoying coffee after many trips in Diagon Alley. Harry's new broom lay in a gift-wrapped package at their feet, along with many other bags of stuff that Sirius would need as soon as the vacation time was over and he headed back to Hogwarts to teach. It really came as a surprise to Hermoine that only 2 years after Sirius's name was cleared that he'd be hired to teach. 

Sirius tapped his foot lazily. It was a nice day out, but still very cold. _I could sure use a butterbeer right now, _Hermoine thought, finishing the rest of her coffee and setting her mug back on the table. An interesting question came into her mind, and before she could stop herself, she asked it. 

"Sirius--what was Azkaban like?" 

He seemed to have just fallen back to reality by her words and his eyes flashed with pain. Hermoine covered her mouth quickly; how could she be so stupid? To think that she just asked him that... 

"I-I'm so sorry, Sirius, I didn't mean--" 

"It's okay," He said, although his voice sounded higher then usual and his eyes seemed distant. "I get that question from a lot of my students." He shifted uncomfortably. "It was the most horrible 12 years of my life." 

Hermoine nodded solemnly. She couldn't imagine what it'd be like to have to pay 12 years of your life for something you never did; but to have to spend those years in Azkaban, which was the closest thing to hell itself...Hermoine shuddered at the thought. 

"But, there's something I don't get," She said, looking down at her coffee mug as if it were fasinating. "If you could've left Azkaban whenever you'd like, why didn't you go shortly after you arrived?" 

He bit his bottom lip. He clearly did not want to talk about this. "Because there was no reason to. I didn't want to escape and cause panic unless there was a reason behind me doing so. You already know that the reason at the time was _Peter._" He said the name as if it were something disgusting. She nodded. 

"I can understand that." She started circling the rim of the cup with her index finger. "It sounds like you've been to hell and back." 

Sirius's face twisted into an unpleasant smile. "Unfortunately, yes. But life isn't always a bowl of cherries. You've got to just put the past behind you and move on. Like when I find myself grieving over Lily and James, I've got to remind myself that they're gone, and there's nothing I ca do about it. When I find myself cursing Peter up and down for what he did, I've got to force myself to think that hating him will do no good, as it won't change the past. I've just got to focus on my life now, and what's to come." 

Hermoine was left speechless by his words. So powerful, yet so harsh. Forget about the past...but how? How could she ever forget about Ron, and all the others who had died? 

"You're pretty hard on yourself," She said quietly. "Sometimes it's okay to let yourself think about memories of the past, you can either let it fill you with sadness over the person you lost, or you can let it bring you great joy to remember that you had a wonderful friend who was always on your side." She closed her eyes, afraid that the unfallen tears might spill. "Sometimes the memory of that person is all you have left, and if you let yourself forget it, you fear of forgetting about that person permanently." 

Sirius wore a sober expression on his face and nodded. "You're very wise for your age, Hermoine." He gave her a half-smile. "Nothing new, of course." 

She blushed slightly. "Yeah, well...you know that deep down, no matter how much you try and move on, you'll never be able to forget what happened." 

He sighed. "So true. Although I really wish I could." 

The corners of her mouth twitched. "James was your best friend at school, wasn't he?" 

Sirius looked up, startled. "Er...yes, he was. Why?" 

She shook her head, a small smile on her face. "I know Harry's probably asked you over a billion times, but what was he like?" 

Sirius blinked. "James?" 

"Uh-huh." 

"Well...he was the kind of person you couldn't help but get along with. He was smart, funny and friendly, and he was the best damn Chaser Hogwarts probably ever had." 

Hermoine smiled. "It would've been nice to be able to meet him." 

Sirius couldn't find a response to this, so he drank his coffee deeply.   


~*~   


"Harry's _still _at practice!?" Hermoine said in disbelief as soon as they apparated back to the flat. All the lights in the house were off. Hermoine was carrying many large bags and Sirius carried the new broomstick under his arm. He glanced around quickly and let out a small sigh of relief. 

"He's still at practice, all right. Good thing too, I want this to be a surprise." 

She smiled and shook her head. "Poor Harry. He works himself too hard sometimes." 

Sirius shrugged. "I don't mind, really, as long as he loves what he's doing. And I have to make sure he comes home to eat if he's gone too long, but besides that, he can take care of himself." 

Hermoine rolled her eyes. "Well, I see you're doing your job as _godfather._" 

Sirius grinned but said nothing. 

The weight of the many bags was starting to have an impact on her arms, as they were starting to go numb. She shifted a bag on her shoulder and made an impatient sound. "Let's go in, I need to put these down before my arms fall off." 

"Wait." She turned, but she was caught off-guard when a hand came on her shoulder and turned her around. 

"What is it?" Hermoine said, her arms starting to hurt. "I _really _got to get inside, Si--" 

She stopped when a hand came up to her face and cupped her cheek. Her blood froze. 

"S-Sirius?" 

He said nothing. Hermoine closed her eyes, hoping that all the blood in her body wasn't rushing to her face. She felt him dip his head down and, very gently, she felt him blow softly against her face. She felt him lean back, and she opened her eyes, breath coming back to normal. 

"Sirius, what _was _that!?" 

He tilted his head to one side. "You had an eyelash on your face. I was getting rid of it for you." 

Hermoine's stomach dropped. "Oh. Was that all?" 

"Yes." 

She smiled. "Well...thanks." 

"Should we go in now?" 

Hermoine flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Um...yeah, sure." 

He smiled one more. Picking the broom back up from where it slipped out of his arms, he started towards the flat, humming softly. Still dazed, and very confused, she followed.   


~*~   
End of chapter 1!   


A/N: Woo! I'm such a tease. ^_^ I bet you thought he was going to kiss her, right? Fooled you! I'm sorry if I'm making him a little slow, but I like him this way. =P Have a problem with that?? Didn't think so. ::Looks back on what he wrote:: Wow, I'm surprised at how long this chapter is. Usually I write much shorter chapters...guess that's a hint on how long this fic's gonna be. ^_~ 

Coming up in chapter 2: Will S/Hr get together? Will Harry finally catch on? And what about Ginny, will she make an appearance in this fic? And Remus? Hmm...could use him here, too...All that and a hell of a lot more later on! Ciao! 

~Starburst~   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Bitterest sorrows

sh2 A/N: I got a review from someone in the last chapter, and it turns out I was spelling Hermione's name wrong the entire time! o.O Major oops. They really shouldn't put the 'I' key and the 'O' key right next to eachother, damnit. >=( Plus, I was tired, and it was one 'o clock in the morning, and I...screw it, you guys can tell an excuse from the truth, right? ^_^; 

Disclaimer (Did I put this in last time?): Nothing here belongs to me. All characters (except for Renné, the plot-to-be and a few characters later on) belong to Ms. J.K. Rowling. So be smart and don't try and sue. 

P.S. R&R please!   


~*~   
Silent Symphony - chater 2   
by Starburst   
~*~   


Winter break had come and gone. Hermione was back in her office, working day in and day out, as usual. But something changed while she was away, something that Renné had no trouble in spotting. 

"You seem a little...distant," She said over a cup of coffee one day. "You do your work excellent, don't get me wrong--it's just that mentally you seem so far away." 

Hermione laughed, as if she had no clue to what Renné was talking about, but inside she knew exactly why she was so, 'distant'. A certain black-hair, black-eyed someone was always on her mind... 

Black... 

Black... 

_Sirius _Black... 

Hermione shook her head slightly. She was being stupid, and Renné was giving her an odd look. _Don't you dare go off-course again, you're at work now._

*No, you're not. You're on break. Let the fantasies begin.* 

_You're twisted. I only have *15* minutes._

*Ah, so you admit that you'd fantasize if you had more time?* 

_No! That's not what I meant! I--oh bother..._

"...Hermione? Hermione!" Renné was shaking her shoulder slightly, a look of concern on her face. "Are you all right? It looked like you were in a trance!" 

"I-I-I'm fine," Hermione stuttered, raking a hand through her hair. "I don't know what's wrong with me," She lied. 

"Maybe you need more time off," Renné suggested. "You're stressed out, is my guess." 

Hermione looked surprised. "What? _More _time off? Renné, don't be ridiculous, I just got back from vacation!" 

"I know that," Renné said stubbornly, frowning. "It's just that if something's on your mind and it's bothering you, maybe you can talk to the Minister of Magic for some more time off. Just a little bit." 

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh _please._ I've been sick before and I work just fine. I don't want to make up some excuse for some time off. Really, now, I'm _fine. _Now, if you see me pass out, then you can start to worry." 

Renné sighed. "If you say so. I got to get back to work, it's been nearly 20 minutes." 

Hermione checked her watch and raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Huh. That's weird. Time sure does fly when we're on break, doesn't it." 

Renné nodded and hopped off her desk, gave her a small smile and left. The room was filled with silence once more. Hermione drummed her fingers on her desk in bordom, and was tempted, for the first time ever, to just walk out and leave. 

Then, an idea struck her. Glancing at the clock to make sure she had a little bit of extra time (she didn't, but she didn't care), she pulled her desk drawer open and grabbed a blank sheet of parchment and a bottle of ink. She took a quill off her desk, dipped it in the ink and started to write. 

_Dear Sirius,_

_Well. Hi._

_I know this is weird, seeing that you've never gotten a letter from me before, but I dicided that there's always a first for everything. So, how are you? Are the students treating you okay? Work's been hell, for some reason it's been worse then before._

_How's Harry doing? He better not be working himself sick. No, I'm not being hypocritic! I'm just worried about him. If you see him, tell him I said hi._

_Before I wrap this letter up, I'd really like to thank you for letting me stay with you two over winter break. It was great to see you both again, and I hope that I'll be able to do that more often. Hope you're having fun!_

_Love from_   
_Hermione_

She re-read the letter once more and beckoned her barn owl, Savannah, tied the letter to her leg and watch her spread her wings and swoop out the window. Sighing once more, she pulled out a pile of parchment and began to work.   


~*~   


Breakfast at the Great Hall was no different then it had ever been. The sound of talking, laughter and the clatter of forkes and knives filled the entire hall. At the head table, Sirius was staring at the enchanted ceiling, lost in a deep thought. His breakfast lay forgotten. 

No more then 15 minutes later, a sea of owls soared through the Great Hall, landing on the tables to deliver letters and packags from home. Sirius didn't notice the large, grey barn owl swoop down on the table next to him until it nipped his hand. He jumped, startled, and the owl dropped the letter infront of him and took off once more. 

_That's odd, _he thought. The owl who gave him the letter surely wasn't Hedwig, so it couldn't have been Harry. _Maybe it's Remus..._

He opened the letter, read through it and put it back down with a smile. _Guess Hermione isn't as busy as she says she always is._

After breakfast, right before class started, Sirius quickly ran back up to his classroom to write a response and send it to the owlery. The response letter wasn't long; he only had 5 more minutes, but it was good enough until later. Dismissing himself to the owlery, he quickly poked a random owl awake, tied the letter to its leg, told it where to go and ran back down to class, where a long line of students were already forming.   


~*~   


_Dear Hermione,_

_It was quite a surprise to get a letter from you. But I'm glad you did. It was no trouble at all, having you over, and I'm sure Harry enjoyed your company as well._

_I'm sorry that this letter is so short, but I have about five or so minutes before I have to start the class. I will write more later, when I get the chance._

_Sirius_   


~*~ 

_Dear Sirius,_

_ Wow, I didn't expect a response so quickly! I guess my owl had no trouble finding you. So, if you get the time to tell, how is everything over there? I hope you're having a lot of fun with your students, from what I've been told, you're everyone's favorite teacher._

_I really wish I could get some time off to see you again; but we're both always busy and my next vacation isn't until next summer. Oh well, I guess writing will do. Please write back soon._

_Love from_   
_Hermione_   


~*~ 

_Dear Hermione,_

_Well, don't be so sure! This weekened is a Hogsmeade weekend, so I get the time off. You get weekends off at the ministry, am I right? You can meet me down there, if you'd like. Write back with more information._

_Sirius_   


~*~ 

_Dear Sirius,_

_ Wow, that would be great! It's been so long since I've been to Hogsmeade! I'll be glad to meet you there, if you like. Can we go to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer? I could really use one of those sometimes. Write back when you get the time or chance.___

_Love from_   
_Hermione_   
__ __

~*~ 

Her hand started to hurt, she was writing so much. She set the quill down briefly and her eyes flickered toward the window, the tiniest hope inside her that a Hogwarts owl would fly through and perch on her desk. She sighed and bit her lip. 

*Why don't you just _tell_ him?* 

_What, are you crazy?He'll think I'm a freak. He won't want to see or talk to me again.___

*You don't know that...* 

_Yes, I *do*.___

*How do you know? He's probably feeling the same way towards you as you are towards him.* 

_That's a load of crap.___

*And what makes you so sure?*   


Whatever thought she had next was stopped when Hermione heard a click of the office door opening. Looking up suddenly, she nearly fell over when a familiar red-haired girl walked in. 

"_Ginny?!_" she sputtered, not believing it. She hadn't seen or heard from her since Ron died. And now, to see her just walk right into her office after 2 years, was unbelievable. 

"Hullo, Hermione," She said, her voice slow and almost hoarse. Hermione jumped from her chair, crossed the room in a fast pace and embraced Ginny like a long-lost sister. 

"I can't believe it's you!" Hermione cried, hugging her tighter. Ginny let out a muffled laugh. 

"Ow. Hermione, I think you've broken a rib or two." 

She pulled back immediatly, and Ginny started to rub her neck, chuckling under her breath. "Well, it's nice to see you again, too." 

She blushed slightly. "I'm sorry about that, Gin." After the shock of seeing her best friend again started to fade, she noticed that Ginny's looks had changed. Sure, she still had the flame-red hair and the row of freckles along her nose, but she was definatly a lot more pale. Her brown eyes, which were once sparkling with mischeif or laughter, were now almost completely dull. She also noticed that Ginny was very skinny, the skin on her face so tight that her cheekbones stood out. 

Hermione frowned in concern. "Ginny...are you all right?" 

"Hm?" She looked up and her eyes flashed when she saw the look on Hermione's face. "Oh--I'm fine. Honest." 

"No, you're not. Sirius told me that you became an Auror. Is that true?" 

Ginny inhaled sharply. "Yes." 

Hermione nearly fainted. "Ginny, are you _crazy!?_ Being an Auror is a very dangerous job! No wonder you look so worn out, you've probably worked yourself sick! Those dark wizards...they'll kill you without thinking twice!" 

"Someone's got to do it, Mione," Ginny said, annoyed. "Besides, it hasn't been so bad until recently..." 

"What's happened recently?" Hermione eyed her friend, almost trying to see if she could figure out what was going on through body language. Ginny sighed once more, looking up at Hermione with tired and expressionless eyes. "Can you get some coffee? It's a long story, and I'm terribly worn-out." 

Hermione nodded and rushed from office, grabbing the mug of coffee off Renné's desk and hurrying back to her office. Ginny was sitting down on the couch at the other end of the room, and Hermione took a seat across from her, handing Ginny the mug of coffee. "Tell me what's been going on."

Ginny took a long sip and put the mug down in her lap. "Only if you promise not to tell my mum. She's been stressed out enough as it is since she found out I was becoming an Auror. I haven't seen her this stressed since Charlie said he was becoming a dragon-tamer." She chuckled to herself and took another sip of coffee.

"I won't tell. But you have to tell me what's been going on." Hermione leaned closer, eager to hear the story.

Ginny put her cup back down. "It started last night. Someone was attacked. Killed."

Hermione's eyes widened in shock. "No way!"

"It's true," Ginny said, her voice toneless. "They were all dead when we arrived. The Avada Kedavera curse got them all." She shook her head. "We have no idea who's behind it. The homicidal maniac never left a clue." 

"But--why haven't I been informed? Surely the ministry's heard of this incedent by now..." 

"Of course they have," Ginny said with the wave of her hand. "But this just happened last night, not everyone in the ministry's going to know about this right away. We're actually trying to keep this hushed, we don't want panic to erupt and have people think Voldemort's back, and all." 

Hermione looked slightly troubled. "You-Know-Who can't be back, can he?" 

Ginny gave her a frosted look. "Voldemort is deader then a fish out of water. Of that we're sure. Our concern is that someone is following in his footsteps." 

Hermione sat there, stunned beoyned words. What would Harry think when he heard about this? What would Sirius think? She bit her bottom lip, thinking. "You don't really think that someone would follow in You-Know-Who's footsteps, do you?" 

Ginny shrugged. "Anything's possible. After we found the Kappler family dead--" 

"WHAT?!" She screamed so loud that Ginny jumped, spilling her coffee on the white carpet and the couch. Hermione didn't seem to notice. "What was the name of that family who died?" 

"T-The Kapplers," Ginny said, her eyes wide with shock. "Hermione, what on earth was that about?" 

"Oh god, no..." She ran a hand through her smooth brown hair. She swallowed, and with a shaky voice, said, "I knew a family by the name of Kappler. Their little girl was my best friend. Her name was..." 

"...Mariah," Ginny finished, her eyes locked with Hermione's. "I hope I'm not right." 

Hermione sank back down in her chair. Words seemed impossible to form right now. Her old best friend...and her whole family...Hermione felt her vision blur. 

"Oh, Hermione, I'm so sorry! This must be so hard...I had no idea you knew her, I would've never said anything..." Ginny stopped rambling and looked at Hermione, who started to shake. "I better go." 

She sat up, thanked Hermione for the coffee, gave her a quick hug (she was too shocked to respond), and left, door shutting behind her. She sat like that, white-faced and furious, for what seemed like hours, before she broke down all together and cried.   
__

~*~ 

_Dear Sirius,___

_ I know that we have plans for Hogsmeade this weekend, and I'm terribly sorry for having to cancel them at such short notice. Something very sudden has turned up. Ginny came to visit yesterday and she told me that my old best friend has been killed. I'm really sorry, I'm just not up to anything right now. Maybe some other weekend.___

_Love from_   
_Hermione_   
__

~*~   
End of chapter 2 

Ouch...that can't be too good. If you haven't already noticed, I'm trying to sneak a plot into this story somewhere. ^_~ I'm sorry this chapter is shorter then the last, but I will have a lot of time from here until July to write, so I should get chapter 3 out soon. 

Coming up in SS: What's Sirius's reaction going to be? And what about Harry, is he going to find out what's going on here? And what about Remus is he/will he show up in later chapters? Who _is _this new Voldemort-wannabe? All that and more later on. TTFN, everyone! 

~Starburst~   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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